Jiaying

An ode to Impressionism (my own take). An ode to living life not perfectly, but enjoying life-ishly.

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My Rating System:
5⭐️: Excellent book AND influenced a change in my views
4.5⭐️: Excellent read
4⭐️: Great read, will recommend ⬅️⬅️⬅️
3.5⭐️: Enjoyable read but missing something that will make it great
3⭐️: An okay read that I didn't regret spending time on it
2⭐️: Didn't enjoy
1⭐️: Didn't enjoy and had serious issues. Will suggest to avoid.

I like the little philosophies in mixed into satire in there but the ending was...unexpected in a bad way. There was no lead-up to it. One of those books which I hated the plot but loved the writing, if you get me. My rating is according to the Goodreads rating. Book started with an almost 4 but sadly it went downhill because of the plot. It's my first Discworld novel. Nonetheless I like Sir Pratchett's writing enough to want to read another.

4.2 stars. Possibly my first fractionated rating because I just personally loved the story and was immersed in it, even if not perfect! Its merits definitely won over its minor flaws.

Written in first-person POV of 6 different characters, and there is no explicit indication who. Yet the tone of voice lets me catch it quickly. The strength of this book is definitely the women characters who were resilient and smart. The Rumpelstiltskin inspiration is there but very loosely inspired. It's a long book but it was interesting enough for me to carry on.

The flaws would be that the explanation on how some things worked in the world, or the strategies undertaken by the characters were explained in too cryptic a manner for myself to understand, so I just glossed over it.

My Rating System:
5⭐️: Excellent book AND influenced a change in my views
4.5⭐️: Excellent read
4⭐️: Great read, will recommend ⬅️⬅️⬅️
3.5⭐️: Enjoyable read but missing something that will make it great
3⭐️: An okay read that I didn't regret spending time on it
2⭐️: Didn't enjoy
1⭐️: Didn't enjoy and had serious issues. Will suggest to avoid.

Ever since I was a kid, I had always wanted to read this book. There was something very enchanting (pun intended) about the colourful book cover which showed the Chrestomanci in his glorious suit and top hat, bearing an enigmatic smile. But strangely I have always just looked at it from afar. And at the grand old age of 26 I finally picked up this book I have always wanted to read since I was 10, and wishing I had read it much sooner. For 15 odd years I have looked for a magic-fantasy series that could make me as excited as I did reading Harry Potter. I don't know about the rest of this series, but this opener has got me very hopeful. I devoured this book. What an original world with interesting characters and so much mystery. I wish I had read a little slower (speed-reading fiction is a bad habit acquired from university) and just allowed my imagination to soak in the descriptions more. I can't wait to read the next one.

My Rating System:

5⭐️: Excellent book AND influenced a change in my views

4.5⭐️: Excellent read

4⭐️: Great read, will recommend

3.5⭐️: Enjoyable read but missing something that will make it great ⬅️⬅️⬅️

3⭐️: An okay read that I didn’t regret spending time on it

2⭐️: Didn’t enjoy

1⭐️: Didn’t enjoy and had serious issues. Will suggest to avoid.

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3.5 stars. In typical fashion of the many Japanese zen-emotional (my own description for this sub-genre) fiction books that have been translated in recent years, there is a sad story to make you tear up. However, I didn't expect Tokue's background and learned something new about the institutional treatment she went through. I liked also the message about engaging with nature.